Just your average, week....

So far I've had a pretty cool summer. Been places, met people, done things... ran a lot. It's been rather uneventful at times, where for example, my week would consist of me getting up at 8 to go on a run then doing almost nothing for the rest of the day. Between these weeks where I have the opportunity, nay, the pleasure of watching the grass grow I have also had many days of adventure.

It all started 2 weeks ago. I was shipped off to Oklahoma and Missouri for a C.A.R. conference, which went pretty smooth. (except for the parts where I got home sick, and when I overslept and woke up 30 min before my plane departed) I was on my way home. I had made it as far as Portland and was becoming quite concerned for the baggage claim carousel had not spit up my bag. As it turned out I had made it home alright but my bag had decided to go to Seattle with out me. I was assured that it would soon be Fed Exed to me and would arrive with in the next day and so with that I drove home.

Upon arriving home I learned, to great disbelief and disappointment, that my dad’s 100 mile race in California had been canceled due to forest fires. Seriously though, that’s like canceling the Olympics, it’s just something you don’t do. Anyways, so we decided to climb Mt. Rainier instead and were able to rope in Zachary as well. So I rushed to put what little clothes and necessities I have in another bag for my mom to bring up later. Right as we were leaving Fed Ex arrived. On the way up, literally we were reaching Portland when we made this decision, we decided we didn’t have enough time so we hopped on over to Mt. Hood instead. It was an adventure, highlighted with me getting sick and Zac complaining about Devil’s Kitchen (a sulfuric smell omitted from rock crevices about Mt. Hood). Upon descending we went to a friend’s house in Castle Rock to go to church and chill for a day. After church we left for Portland where we went to the arboretum and rose garden before my dad dropped me off for another C.A.R. conference.

The conference was a blast, Zachary won the coveted Regional Enthusiast award and I gave a speech on my state project. Once the conference was over my mom rushed us over to our family reunion which we had been missing out. We spent roughly two days there full of fun and excitement celebrating my grandmother’s 70th birthday, rushing down the zip-line and sharing our talents.

Shortly after arriving at the family reunion I learned that my car was no more. There was to be no resurrection this time. Suzy had passed the threshold and gone on to greener pastures.
Needless to say this left my family in a bit of a pickle, we had not taken the van up and where depending on Suzy for the trip home. I don’t even know how to explain all that happened the Friday following the family reunion only to say that God must have had a hand in it for how smoothly it worked.

It was the 4th of July, after the family reunion my mom had scheduled us to march in the Hillsboro parade with the C.A.R. float and I was going to run a race right before in Wilsonville and rush over there in time for the parade. With out a car this plan did not seem feasible. Fortunately Grandma and Grandpa where willing to let us borrow their car for the morning. The race went alright, (except the part where we overslept and made it from my bed in Corvallis to the starting line in Wilsonville in 75 minutes). I feel my conditioning has slacken the past few weeks, so my time was not all that spectacular but I finished second female overall. I changed into a dress in the car on the way over, the C.A.R. float was scheduled relatively early in the parade and my mom kept calling in panic to make sure we were on our way. Zac was with me and we almost missed the float, imagine: a girl in high heels and skirt running down a side walk her sleepy brother falling behind, she jumps through a crowd of people exclaiming, “Excuse me, State President coming through!” and jumps on to the passing float with an action that can not easily be described graceful. You can stop imagining, that’s what happened. The parade was a lot of fun, we threw candy to kids, I ate some of it, and afterwards we went to a picnic.

Due to the lack of cars we decided it was best to leave Erik, Gideon and Katie Mae with my mom’s mom. We had already planned to do this due to the trek, we just left them three days earlier than planned. So my mom left with Esther to safely deliver them to my grandma’s while Dad, Zac and I went to Grandma Olsen’s house to return their car and decide what could be left behind and what was necessary for survival for the next week. By being highly selective, we had just enough room for the essentials and a huge box containing the new printer I helped my dad pick out as an anniversary gift for my mom. As it got closer to 7pm Dad started to get antsy, he had wanted to watch the Olympic Trials at the Eugene Festival and my mom had not yet shown up. She soon did though and we packed some of our luggage into the back of our car, the vast majority of our luggage still resides in Grandma and Grandpa’s garage (THANK YOU!).

So we trekked on over to the Eugene Festival and where able to see the 1500 women’s trial, Jordan Hassay is amazing, as well as the women’s 5000 and men’s 10000. After we watched Abdi, with much amusement, jump in to the Steeple Chase pit we decided it was time to go home. And home is where I’m glad to say I’ve been for the last few days; and home is where I’ll stay… at least until the Pioneer Trek tomorrow. :D

So, how’s everyone’s summer going?

-Emily

Cancelled?!

I was looking forward with dread to this week-end.

I was about as prepared as I could have been. But wild fires within 2 miles from the course and along a couple of the access roads and poor air quality was apparently too much.

I'm thinking of going down anyways to check out the festivities and for a long run, as preparation for whatever race I come up with next.

No word yet on what this will mean for next year.

Equanimity, and running for Jesus

A math teacher signed my son's yearbook with a complement about his math skills and with Phil 4:13, which I thought was bold in the public school system which acts like there is some virtue in having freedom from religion rather than freedom of religion. But perhaps that kind of non-PC behavior is one of the perks of living in a hick town.

I have a favorite quote from Kipling's "If" (which grandpa Olsen decoupaged on one of his economy hardwood panels--see his blog on using these) about meeting with triumph and disaster with equanimity. Paul has a similar sentiment when he writes "I have learned, in whatsover state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound". That precedes where he says "I can do all things through Christ which strengthenth me" in Phil 4:13.

After winning a "national masters championship" I was able to put together some good thoughts at a fireside at a scout campout, but actually I had better tie-ins from my next race where I struggled to finish in the back third of the pack.

I hear of some people that run to honor God. I love and respect Him. But I wonder how much He cares whether I run faster than my friends. He must care more about how I live, and that I do a good effort in exercising the talents He has given. I wouldn't rank even my greatest PR as more than an infinitesimal contribution to His enormous glory. But maybe the point is to do my little bit. I don't know whether to think of my success in running as a reward or a gift. But I think it is a blessing- I can't explain it on the basis of the relatively few training miles I do.

So I run. And I glorify God by doing all things that he sees fit to give me strength to do, running and non-running. I give credit to Him for every talent or good thing that happens, but accept disaster as a lesson and opportunity to learn and lean on Him. But I don't sign year-books.

Graduation w/o regrets

Crater high school graduation involved lots of pomp, and speeches, and ceremony. It's what many of these kids have long looked forward to. People started showing up 2 hours early to try to get good seats.
Emily didn't want to go.
There was a youth temple trip at the same time. It's not like there was much question whether she would graduate, and it wasn't the hardest thing she's done this past year. And it's not the greatest thing she is going to do. I think she's already looking forward to what's next. But we told her she had to go. She was a good sport and didn't seem to mind. Some of her classmates left shortly after graduation on a 2 day trip to 6-flags which I think is designed to keep them from going out drinking and driving. We rented "The Great Debaters" and stayed up late considering social justice.

Life in the fast lane...

So, pretty much, this last year as been insane, pretty much. Senior year of high school, getting ready for college, friends, cross-country, calculus and kayaks, track, C.A.R. and church. It doesn't sound so bad all listed out like that. Did I mention homework? That's always a plus in my life, it's kind of fun in a sick sort of way...

After having an amazing track season I've been accepted to OSU to run track and cross-country. I'm really excited! As an added bonus I get to live with my grandparents! The only sad note is OSU just recently cut back on their language program. link They're keeping Spanish (fortunately) however other languages are soon on their way out ;(

My aspiration in life is to become a gas station employee. I would work my through the oil empires eventually ending on top with an oil monopoly (I love that game). As a side note my dream job is as a waitress at Olive Garden. Sadly I will not be able to partake of either of these promising job opportunities as my parents are shipping me to Oklahoma for C.A.R. shortly after my 18th birthday (15 days, be afraid).

I have just discovered one of the many joys in life: blogging. I can see myself spending many wistless hours preparing new blogs for the discover and semi-entertainment (or woe) of others. This joy was only currently discovered, within the last ten minutes or so, as I sat at my father's computer typing away at what you have previously read. It is a common thought that when a person finds joy in an activity it would be expedient for them to divulge themselves in it, that way they might have joy. With this thought in mind I could continue blogging for the rest of my life, or I could end here, go to bed and perhaps never think of blogging again, either of which are desirable options. Oh! Woe is me, the choices at hand! Why are the young so afflicted?! Yea, that was fun, good night.

-Em

Couldn't be prouder

For my inaugural entry I want to give a brief introduction to my sometimes running partner, co-author of this blog, "her mother's world, her daddy's girl" Em.

18 months ago she asked if I thought she'd ever be fast. I'm glad I wasn't honest at the time, because she would have proved me wrong.

Her attitude towards pacing is "I don't like to run slow, that's why I run fast."

2 weeks in a row I watched her in 1500m races that were inspiring. After semi-laconic first laps, she turned up the heat more each lap, withstood late challenges, and sprinted to glory. Well, if not glory, at least 1st in district, then 3rd in state, and to a position on the OSU women's cross-country and track teams. I'll go to my grave with a smile on my face every time I think about those races.

Running isn't the only thing in our lives, or even the most important. But it is something we share and enjoy. It is a metaphor for many things. Training is often time for personal reflection, racing is an exercise of stewardship, and allows us to feel God's pleasure, challenge ourselves, improve fitness, rub shoulders with other good people, but it also sucks up much of our free time.

By the way, the title of our blog was inspired by cousin Berkely's movie quiz. It is a quote from a movie about, in part, one of our heroes Eric Liddle.